Clanna Gael Fontenoy supporting the community in many ways

Pictured: Supporting the Dubs in Croke Park.

We welcomed a delegation of public and community representatives to the club on a Saturday morning recently.

They took the opportunity to see plenty of training activity in the academy and out on the pitches; but also to hear how the club is contributing in a myriad of ways to the welfare of the communities in its hinterland – particularly in Ringsend, Irishtown, Sandymount and Ballsbridge.

They learned how the club plays a key role in sustaining the physical and mental well-being of its communities through the provision of recreational activities for young boys and girls, right through to adulthood.

They also learned how the club provides a focal point for many diverse community activities, interest groups and charities, which is reflected in the multiplicity of social and cultural events that populate our events calendar.

The community spirit is also reflected in the way in which many of the club’s juvenile players help with training the very young participants in our academy on Saturday mornings. They do this as part of their Gaisce (achievement) personal development programme. This gives them the satisfaction of working with the very young and helping them to develop, while the kids themselves learn from the experience of the older players.

Supporting Pieta House

The club is delighted to facilitate the Pieta House – Darkness Into Light walk which will take place on the morning of Saturday May 6th. Some 2,000 people are expected to participate in the walk, which will start around 4.30am at the clubhouse, make its way through Irishtown, Ringsend and Pearse Street, across the Liffey and back via the East Link to the clubhouse a couple of hours later.

Also, large numbers of Clanns volunteers will be on hand to support the event in various ways – from helping with all the preparations on the Friday evening/night to stewarding the walk itself on the Saturday morning and cleaning up after the event.

Darkness Into Light is the main fundraising activity for Pieta House, a charity which raises awareness of self-harm and suicide and enables them to provide life-saving support to people in need.

Community development
The proposed development of the Poolbeg West peninsula and in particular the inclusion of a very significant residential element is most welcome. This area can and should be developed in a manner that preserves and augments the best of what exists at present, while providing the essential components of a sustainable community that can thrive for years to come. The creative use of green areas, the development of suitable recreational facilities and effective planning to address traffic congestion are among the factors that can contribute to this end.

A trip to the Park
While those participating in the Pieta House – Darkness Into Light will cross the Liffey in May, another and different crossing took place recently when the club witnessed a mass exodus. Some 165 children and 90 adults made the trip to Croke Park to see the Dublin hurlers and footballers in action in the National League.

Youngsters from teams ranging from the U-7s right up to the U-15s travelled. An exodus on this scale had not been seen before with three double decker buses ferrying the supporters to see the best of talent in action.

Great credit is due to all the coaches and parents who were on hand to look after the youngsters. All were rewarded with a very encouraging display from the Dublin hurlers and a dominant one from the footballers.

Such has been the growth and success of the club over recent years that we now have players from virtually all age-group levels, male and female, involved in Dublin development squads and teams.

A number of our female players have of late been ‘flying the flag’ with particular distinction. Kate McKenna, Rachael Byrne and Rebecca McDonnell have been involved with the Dublin senior ladies team, with Rebecca receiving the ‘player of the match’ accolade in national league fixtures.

Meanwhile, three of our younger girls have been acquitting themselves very well as part of the Dublin U-14 football team – Lucy Crowe, Ella Darcy and Ali Griffin, with Ali also performing the role of team captain.